Get book reviews - sell more books by using endorsements, testimonials and reviews for book promotion

Sell More Books with Reviews, Testimonials & Endorsements

It can be a challenge to get your book noticed amid the hundreds of thousands of new titles published every year. With so much competition, reviews are one of the very best ways to boost book sales.

Why are reviews, endorsements and testimonials so critical to book selling success?

1. Book reviews get your book noticed, bringing it to the attention of people who might never have seen it otherwise. Each new review multiplies your exposure.

2. Reviews, endorsements and testimonials offer "social proof" — they show potential customers that others think your book is a worthwhile investment of time and money.

3. Book review journals have a tremendous influence. In fact, librarians and bookstore buyers base many of their ordering decisions on reviews in the major book journals.

By now you have probably heard the story of Amanda Hocking, who sold hundreds of thousands of her self-published fantasy novels on Kindle and landed a big-dollar contract with a major publisher. But did you know that she credits reviews on book blogs with helping to propel her book sales into the stratosphere?

The more reviews you have and the more places your reviews appear, the more exposure and selling power you have.

But you must be proactive in securing great reviews for your book. Are you:

Intimidated by the prospect of asking for reviews?

Looking for new sources of reviews for your book?

Wondering how other authors get those big-name endorsements?

Not quite sure how to get book reviews or take your reviews to the next level?

Take the mystery out of the book review process. In the 3rd edition of How to Get Your Book Reviewed, you'll learn:

The top places to get book reviews

How books are selected for review

Insider secrets for getting more book reviews

Save time and money and increase your success rate by developing a solid review strategy. The book review plan in chapter 3 shows you how to:

Decide how many review copies to distribute

Choose the best potential reviewers

Schedule distribution of review copies at the right time

Write a book announcement press release and sell sheet

Prepare your online media room to showcase you and your book

Ship review copies and follow up for maximum results

You will also learn:

The pros and cons of sending queries vs. sending books to potential reviewers

How and when you can save money by sending ebooks instead of printed books

Whether or not you should autograph review copies

Chapter 4 explains the potential pitfalls with book reviews and how to overcome them. You'll discover:

5 typical reasons that books are rejected for review

The pros and cons of marking books as review copies

How bad reviews affect books sales (the answer may surprise you)

What to do if you get a negative review

6 things you should never do when seeking book reviews

How to deal with the bias against self-published books

Is it really possible to land endorsements from high-profile individuals?

You bet it is! See the case study on page 42 to learn how one author secured endorsements from 10 prominent doctors and bestselling authors. In chapter 5 you'll also find out:

How to encourage loyal followers to review your book prior to publication

The best ways to get book reviews and testimonials from customers

What if you had dozens of 5-star reviews on your Amazon sales page?

The quantity, star ratings and text of your reviews influence shoppers, and can even get your book more exposure by influencing how highly it ranks when customers search for books by keyword. Discover:

How to attract 5-star reviews on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com

7 ways to write great book reviews to gain visibility on online bookstores

Word of mouth is a powerful selling tool, and the Internet makes it easy for readers to share their enthusiasm for the books they read!

In chapter 7 you'll learn how to harness the power of virtual reader communities to network with readers and get book reviews, plus:

How to offer free review copies on Goodreads and LibraryThing

Links to 26 other virtual book communities

Blogs are one of the very best places to showcase books. Find out:

How to get topical bloggers buzzing about your nonfiction book

The secrets to working successfully with book bloggers to get book reviews

How to find the best blogs to contact about book reviews

Tips for planning a successful virtual book tour

Reviews in print media are getting harder to come by, but books and authors still get coverage in book review journals, magazines, newspapers, and specialty publications. Discover:

How to increase your odds of a review in a major book journal

Where to find literary magazines and newspapers

Tips for researching and working with the media

Promoting your reviews is critical to success. After all, it doesn't matter how great your book reviews are if no one sees them.

In the final chapter of How to Get Your Book Reviewed, you'll learn the best ways to use book reviews to reach and influence book buyers.

In this well-researched guide, you will also find:

14 case studies with real life examples of how reviews work

Dozens of hyperlinks pointing you to valuable resources and information that will save you time and help you get your book reviewed

A sample book announcement press release written by an award-winning publicist

Words of wisdom from two dozen top book marketing experts and authors

A foreword by Ross Rojek, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Sacramento Book Review and other review publications.

Links to major pre-publication and post-publication book journals

No fluff — just well-organized, practical advice and resources.

How to Get Your Book Reviewed is the ultimate guide to profiting from book reviews, with everything you need to know to confidently pursue endorsements, testimonials, and reviews.

This 3rd edition was published in February, 2015.

Download your copy now and get started boosting your book sales!

More Praise for How to Get Your Book Reviewed

"The potential that reviews have to boost an author from obscurity into the stratosphere are mind-boggling. How to Get Your Book Reviewed is the definitive guide for any writer who wants to get their book noticed. I highly recommend this book!" (Read the full review here.)

— Fiona Ingram, author of The Secret of the Sacred Scarab

"There are innumerable texts on the market about getting your book published, and plenty more on marketing your product, but surprisingly, I can't ever recall spotting a guidebook focused on getting your labor of love reviewed. Thankfully, Dana Lynn Smith is here to plug that overlooked (and fairly critical) gap with How to Get Your Book Reviewed.

A no-nonsense, richly-detailed examination of what you should and shouldn't be doing to ensure your book wends its way to the best hands available to promote your project, How to Get Your Book Reviewed is a quick and incredibly informative read. Studded with frequent bullet points and savvy tips galore, Smith provides a wealth of advice for first-time writers and established authors alike. (Her Case Studies are a particularly effective treat, highlighting effective execution of her ideas by other professionals and writers.)

With boundless honesty and clarity, Smith delivers on the eBook title's promise in spades."

— Glenn Dallas, San Francisco/Sacramento Book Reviews

"The thought of getting book reviews has been an intimidating area for me. I kept thinking, how am I going to do this as a new independent author? This book showed me every aspect of obtaining reviews from so many different sources. I feel confident that I can now approach bloggers, online book groups, selected media contacts and Amazon reviewers. The book covers every detail as well as offering invaluable links to many of the resources needed. Like Smith’s other guide books for authors, this one is spectacular."

— Mal Duane, author of Alpha Chick, Five Steps for Moving from Pain to Power

"Long before there was social media, there was the ultimate ‘social proof’ — book reviews. Book buyers have been making buying decisions based on reviews since at least the 17th century — back when there were far fewer books to choose from. Today, hundreds of thousands of books are published each year, so standing out from the crowd is more important than ever. Strong reviews can be the ‘tipping point’ that turns browsers into buyers. How to Get Your Book Reviewed is the most helpful guide I’ve seen about soliciting reviews and using them effectively in your marketing to sell more books. Do not miss it!"

— Grael Norton, Authors Academy

"How to Get Your Book Reviewed is a worthy marketing resource that shows how positive reviews can make or break a title. The book is packed with tips, case studies, easy to read coaching and comprehensive step-by-step ways of popularising your book by getting it reviewed. For every debut and aspiring writer, How to Get Your Book Reviewed is a jackpot. It's a brilliant book and I certainly recommend it."

— Michael Smith, novelist, London

"Dana Lynn Smith has created another fabulous resource in her Savvy Book Marketer series! This is one the most comprehensive resources I've seen on how to generate book reviews. As usual, it's packed with "here's how to do it" information that authors need. I highly recommend it!"

"Exposure sells books. One way to get that exposure is through many strategically placed book reviews. Here’s a book designed to help you navigate the enormous world of book reviews as a marketing tool for your publishing project. I recommend How to Get Your Book Reviewed for all authors."

— Patricia Fry, author of Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author and Executive Director of Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network

"How to Get Your Book Reviewed is a down-to-earth book with a concise style that makes for easy reading. Yet the author consistently offers insightful, concrete, practical tips. This ebook will serve the needs of all authors seeking solid advice in using reviews to promote their books."

"Dana Lynn Smith has done it again with her new ebook, How to Get Your Book Reviewed. Filled with rich content to make the effort easy, this ebook is the premier "go-to" manual for authors seeking book reviews. Learn how reviews sell books; how, when, and where to obtain reviews; how the review process works; and how to promote your book using the reviews once you get them."

— Yvonne Perry, owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services

"One of the little known secrets of selling books is how much reviews influence others to purchase your book. Dana Lynn Smith reveals the insider details in How to Get Your Book Reviewed. Tap into this important resource."

"Dana Lynn Smith has taken a book marketing tool that many authors ignore and provided a detailed roadmap with hundreds of examples, ideas, and tips."

— Roger C. Parker, owner of Published and Profitable and author of 99 Questions to Ask Before You Write and Self-Publish Your Brand-Building Book and other books

"A wealth of clear, practical advice on how to generate both formal and informal reviews and use them to spur sales."

— Judith Appelbaum, author of How to Get Happily Published and editor of the IBPA Independent

"Dana Lynn Smith gives excellent how-to advice for placing one’s book with readers who will recommend it in print, online, or via other media. Her “don’ts” are probably just as important for neophytes as her “do’s.” I found the book very helpful and Smith’s writing style clear, careful, and easy to read and understand. She clearly knows what she’s talking about."

— Mary Ann Welch, translator from Spanish of the novel, The Erotic Metempsychosis of Melibea, by Edmundo Bendezu

"As a result of my reading this book, I feel confident to venture into the marketplace with my debut novel. What once was a mysterious process now makes perfect sense. Dana Lynn Smith knows just how to speak the author's language by appealing to our longing for long-term writing success. How To Get Your Book Reviewed is the On Writing of obtaining and implementing quality book reviews."

— M.E. Anders, The Cult Slayer: Psychological Thriller Writer

"While other resources will give you a few tips on how to secure book reviews, if you are serious about creating a marketing plan, then Dana Lynn Smith's book, How to Get Your Book Reviewed is one you'll want in your book marketing arsenal."

— Tony Eldridge, novelist and owner of Marketing Tips for Authors

"A masterpiece! I read How to Get Your Book Reviewed with pen in hand. The actionable techniques discussed made them easy to apply. My favorite chapter is the one on Virtual Book Tours. I was enthralled and in fact, it directly influenced my own book launch strategy, which I believe had a direct influence on my book’s becoming an Amazon bestseller!"

— D'vorah Lansky, author of Book Marketing Made Easy

"Getting book reviews is a strategy any author can use, and Dana’s book will show you how. It’s a dig-to-bedrock compendium of information on getting book reviews and related topics. As such, it’s a valuable addition to any author’s bookshelf."

— Jan Bear, Market Your Book

"I was highly impressed with How To Get Your Book Reviewed. It is crammed with useful, practical advice that any writer could apply to generate more reviews of their books and potentially boost their sales many times over. This isn't just a guide to getting more book reviews, but also about obtaining endorsements, testimonials and customer feedback, and using all of them to promote your book as powerfully and effectively as possible. As such, it is undoubtedly the most comprehensive guide to this subject I have seen, and I plan to refer to it frequently when promoting my own titles in future."

— Nick Daws, author of The 10-Day E-book and 80 other books

“This book is packed full of practical info, how-tos, and even a template to help you get it done! As a newbie, I appreciated even her common sense info. I'm very grateful for this fantastic resource. I think this book is an absolute must for any author!”

— Dee, marketing director for D.I. Telbat, author of Dark Liaison

"How to Get Your Book Reviewed is jam-packed with all the information I’ve been looking for! You can be sure I’ll be using it as a reference between now and the time my book is released and for months afterward."

— Nina Amir, author of the forthcoming book, How to Blog a Book: Write, Publish, and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time

"This is a hands-on, excellent guidebook for getting your book reviewed. I devoured it, and post-it-noted it and intend to use the heck out of it. I'm always for a book that nails a point and avoids the fluff. This is my kind of read."

"This book is a great resource for authors that helps explain how to connect with reviewers and use reviews to boost your newest book."

— Sharon Williams, Bee's Knees Reviews

"I was grateful for all the practical information you included in How to Get Your Book Reviewed. There are so many ebooks out there that seem like they are just thrown together. It's always a treat to come across one that has real sustenance...it's like eating a nice juicy hamburger instead of a rice cake...so much more satisfying. Thanks for giving me something I can really sink my teeth into."

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Praise for The Savvy Book Marketer

"My business book recently had the good fortune to land on the best seller lists. You are one of the people I've followed over the previous year to learn about book promotion . . . obviously it works!"

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